Saturday, March 28, 2009

This recipe from Jamie Magazine looked so tempting we couldn't resist trying it. A slow roast piece of beef glazed with a sweet glaze served over a bed of soft beans? Bring it on. It would make a great weekend dinner as it cooks for 3 hours & 20 minutes but doesn't require a ton of hands-on time. Put it in the oven & just enjoy the amazing smells while it cooks & you do other things around the house.

I was worried that the brisket would be dry because we couldn't find a piece with a layer of fat still on it but wrapping it in foil halfway through cooking did the trick. (I thought of adding a layer of bacon to replace the fat but Matt thought the bacon flavor would overpower the brisket.) When Matt sliced us each off a taste of the finished meat we were thrilled with how juicy & tender it was. This method of cooking the meat reminds me a lot of how my dad makes his Memphis Ribs. Our only complaint was that the honey & brown sugar mixture didn't create as much of a glaze as we would have liked. Next time we'll save a little of it to brush on the meat before the last 20 minutes of unwrapped cooking also, we wouldn't thin it with any water like the recipe says to do, I've added these changes to the recipe below.(Always slice your brisket against the grain or else it will be stringy & tough)

The beans are also cooked for a long time & flavored with chicken broth, onion, garlic & oregano. We used Rancho Gordo Yellow Eye Beans and they had a wonderful flavor, you can use any white bean of your choice. I liked eating a forkful of beans with each bit of meat. The recipe also called for a ton of slow cooked garlic to be served with the meat & beans, we skipped it & didn't miss it at all.

Mix the mustard, worcestershire, paprika, chili powder, garlic, cayenne and a few grinds of black pepper together. Add about 1/4 c water to make it into a paste. Rub the paste all over the brisket. Place the meat in a roasting pan with a rack. Roast for 1 1/2 hours.

Mix the honey, brown sugar & melted butter together. (Microwaving the honey for about 10 seconds before using makes it easier to use.) If the mixture seems too thick to brush on the meat add a little water. Place the meat on a double layer of tin foil big enough to wrap it. Brush all sides of the meat with the honey & brown sugar mixture, save a little of the mixture for a glaze later on. Wrap securely in the foil, place in the pan & return to the oven to roast for another 1 1/2 hours.

Put all ingredients into a large saucepan & bring to a boil. Reduce the heat & allow to simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until the beans are really tender. Remove half of the beans & mash them until smooth. Return the mashed beans to the pot & mix together.